System and method for storing water in an underground reservoir and managing the same

ABSTRACT

An underground water storage system is installed with directional drilling techniques to dispose water conveying conduits within an aquifer. By conducting a pre-installation investigation of the aquifer, the conduits may be placed within the aquifer to increase the flow efficiency into the aquifer, such as orienting the position of the conduits to coincide with the orientation of the aquifer. The invention may have a system for preventing water invasion into the near surface soil layers, thereby preventing water instrusion which may be detrimental to desired surface uses for the land, such as agricultural, recreational, residential or commercial uses.

PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part application to currently pendingapplication Ser. No. 16/974,095 filed on Feb. 18, 2020 which claimspriority to application Ser. No. 16/456,604 filed on Jun. 28, 2019 andissued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,597,231 on Mar. 24, 2020 which claimspriority to application Ser. No. 15/705,195 filed on Sep. 14, 2017 andissued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,336,544 on Jul. 2, 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to underground storage of water and morespecifically to a system and method which directs water to undergroundstorage zones having available storage capacity. Embodiments of thepresently disclosed system and method further may be directed towardwater storage in land where the land surface is utilized for otherpurposes, such as for agricultural use, commercial construction,recreation, or where the surface of the land has been restored, therebymaking efficient use of the land by allowing the concurrent use of thesurface and subsurface. Embodiments of the presently disclosed systemand method further may be directed toward the installation of a systemof piping for directing water into an underground storage zone withoutdisturbing any activity, crops, improvements, fixtures, or restoredsurface features of the land surface overlying the underground storagezone. Embodiments of the presently disclosed system and method may alsobe directed toward the installation of a system for directing water intoan underground storage zone where the surface or topography of the landoverlying the underground storage zone is inaccessible for installationactivities because of terrain and/or topography of the surface of theparcel.

In the face of growing demand for water and the statutory and regulatoryframework which address groundwater sustainability, industries whichrely on groundwater, especially agriculture, recognize the need toincrease surface water imports and expand underground water storagecapacity. Underground water storage reservoirs provide an alternative tostorage of water in open reservoirs. Underground water storagereservoirs, i.e., aquifers, will have one or more porous and permeablelayers. Porosity and permeability are the aquifer properties which,respectively, refer to the pore volume available for water storage andthe hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer. For utilization forunderground water storage, an underground zone must have available porespace and water must be able to flow through the zone to be recoveredfor utilization for irrigation or other use.

Groundwater recharge is a water management tool by which surplus surfacewater supplies are stored underground for later recovery during periodsof reduced water supply. Recharge reduces or eliminates the need toconstruct costly surface reservoirs which are prone to excessiveevaporation losses, particularly in arid climates in the Western UnitedStates. With heavy rain or snow fall, water must be released fromsurface reservoirs must be released to make room for inflow. Rechargehas the added benefit of improving water quality by filtration throughunderlying sediments.

In general, if farmers and municipalities and quasi-municipalities, suchas water districts, irrigation districts and water storage districts(collectively “water districts”) are able to conserve water and banksome of their allocation, they will be able to reclaim it later, eitherfor their own use or for sale. In programs offered by some waterdistricts, incentives are offered to private landowners to providegroundwater recharge facilities for banking surplus water for futureextraction. These programs typically anticipate that water will bedelivered to the private recharge facilities through district-owneddistribution systems and that the water will be introduced into theunderground reservoir by surface recharge basins. However, the waterdistrict may also store surface water for others within district-ownedrecharge facilities and the water district receive benefit for storingthe groundwater.

The surface recharge basins are typically open, unfarmed, fallow land.Thus, land utilized for providing recharge to the aquifer is typicallydedicated nearly exclusively for that purpose and other surface uses forthe land inhibited or completely excluded.

As opposed to surface recharge basins, some recharge facilitiesintroduce the water into the underground reservoir by piping systems.This type of system expedites introduction of the water into the aquiferand thereby reduces evaporation losses. However, depending upon thedesign of the water storage facility, the underground reservoir maystill require the dedication of significant areas of real property.Moreover, such systems do not, without additional control mechanisms orstructure, identify the particular zones or depth into which the wateris introduced. Identifying the zones or depth into the water isintroduced can be a significant issue if the underground water storagefacility is beneath a land surface utilized for agricultural purposesbecause saturation of the root-zone can be detrimental to the health ofa crop. Other surface uses may also be adversely impacted by theintrusion of stored groundwater into the near surface region, such assurface uses for recreation and residential and commercial development.

With the above factors in mind, it is desirable to develop additionalunderground storage for groundwater. It would also be beneficial to beable diminish water loss through evaporation, to determine where thewater is going and how much storage capacity remains and, in some cases,to receive alarms when a particular aquifer is full and ground water isapproaching the surface so that water may be directed to alternativewater storage facilities. In addition, the incentives offered by theabove-described programs typically credit the owner of the banking andrecharge facility with a “banked water account credit” which is apercentage of the water banked in the facility. While thetransferability and fungibility of these credits is evolving throughoutthe country with the development of sustainable groundwater policies, ingeneral the credits are a valuable asset realized by owners ofgroundwater recharge facilities, and a method which facilitatesobtaining such credits is desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In contrast to other known underground water storage systems and methodsof utilizing the same, embodiments of the present invention provide forthe delivery and storage of water into an aquifer disposed in parcels ofland but without significant disturbance of the land surface or theactivities being conducted on the land surface. For example, the presentmethod provides for the installation of water storage distributionpiping without any significant disruption of the ground surfaceoverlying the aquifer. The disclosed method thereby allows theunderground water storage system to be installed where the land surfaceis actively being utilized for agricultural, recreational, residential,commercial purposes or other uses where the land surface hasimprovements or fixtures which preclude or discourage installationactivities. The present method may also be utilized where the landsurface overlying the aquifer is environmentally sensitive, has beenenvironmentally restored, or where there are topographical featureswhich limit the surface activity required to install a system of waterdistribution piping.

Embodiments of the present invention may utilize a piping system todeliver water from a remotely located water storage facility, such asthose maintained by water storage districts and irrigation districts toembodiments of the disclosed system. In the case of water stored by oron behalf of a quasi-municipality, such as a water district, rights tostored water may be reclaimed, transferred, sold, etc. as groundwaterrecharge credits.

Embodiments of the present invention may also utilize water invasioncontrol systems to detect moisture, groundwater invasion and/or monitorthe moisture levels in different underground zones. These controlsystems may actively prevent the oversaturation of upper soil layers,such as rootzones and upper soil layers utilized for construction ofstructures or other facilities. The water invasion control systems maysuspend water flow into the aquifer if water infiltration begins or ifthe moisture content in the near-surface zone approaches an undesirablethreshold. Through the use of digital control means and actuated valves,the water flow may be redirected into other groundwater recharge zonesor into surface containment facilities.

In addition, embodiments of the present invention may control theunderground zones into which water is introduced and may maintain arecord of the water volumes introduced into specific zones. Embodimentsof the present invention may also, through the use of multiple moisturedetectors, monitor the remaining storage capacity and provide anautomated alert to the property owner, a water district, or others whenthe storage capacity reaches a designated level. Upon reaching thedesignated level, recharge water may be directed to an alternativestorage facility as directed manually or automatically.

Embodiments of the present invention may further incorporate subsurfacepumps which can remove water from a particular zone either for use orfor redirecting to a different location in the aquifer or to a surfacecontainment facility in the event the aquifer is at its storage limit.

The aquifer may have one or more layers, where each layer has aparticular porosity for storing water and a particular permeability,which is the characteristic of the layer which allows water to flowthrough the interstices of the layer. Orientation of the aquifer layersis defined herein as the attitude of the layers, in three-dimensionalspace. The sedimentary rock layers in which aquifers are typically foundobey the laws of superposition, original horizontality, and lateralcontinuity. The law of original horizontality predicts that the originalorientation of essentially all rock strata was horizontal. For thisreason, if rock strata is found with some orientation other thanhorizontal, a force has acted upon the rock strata to re-orient it(change it from its original state).

The below-ground piping systems of the present invention are configuredto be in a complimentary disposition with respect to the orientation ofthe aquifer, or with those portions of the aquifer having the greatestporosity and permeability, whereby long sections of conduit are orientedin accord with the orientation of the desired aquifer strata. Thus, itis desirable to maximize the surface area of conduit with respect to thecorresponding surface area of the desired strata of the aquifer strata,such that water is efficiently released uniformly within the lateralreach of the desired strata. Accomplishing this goal may utilize thepre-installation investigation discussed below.

Piping systems of the present invention may be installed utilizingdirectional drilling techniques which enable segments of dischargepiping to be installed at nearly horizontal orientations, therebygreatly increasing the rate of water discharge to the subsurfaceaquifer. With these techniques, boreholes for the pipe segments of thepiping system may be drilled by a drilling rig located offsite (i.e.,not located on the land surface overlying the subsurface aquifer). Thedrilling unit will be capable of drilling angled boreholes such that theboreholes may be initiated from the remote location with the boreholebeing directed, at an angle, to penetrate the strata overlying thesubsurface aquifer. These boreholes may turn upwardly at the oppositeend such that the borehole penetrates the ground surface at the endopposite the drilling rig to form an “exit hole”. Once the boreholes arecompleted or partially completed, piping segments utilized in the pipingsystem are directed into the boreholes by the drilling unit, with thepiping segments installed in an end-to-end configuration, forming acontinuous “string” of pipe in a particular borehole. The pipe stringmay be installed by feeding the pipe into the borehole at the drillingrig location and, optionally, pulling the pipe string from the “exithole”.

The piping segments may comprise slots for release of the water into thesurrounding ground surface. Alternatively, the piping segments may beperforated or otherwise slotted by tools inserted into the string ofpipe by the drilling unit. Embodiments of the method may further includepre-installation investigation of the strata of the aquifer as well asthe strata overlying the subsurface aquifer. This pre-installationinvestigation may include a review of geophysical well logs and/or wellcuttings from any water wells or oil wells in the vicinity of theaquifer. The pre-installation investigation may also include thedrilling of boreholes into the aquifer and strata adjacent to theaquifer. These pre-installation steps may provide important informationregarding the orientation, structure and continuity of the strata, thepresence of any faults or geologic unconformities, and the permeabilityand porosity of the strata. The pre-installation investigator therebyfacilitates placement of the distribution piping at optimal locationswith respect to the subsurface aquifer to maximize flow to the aquifer.The pre-installation investigation provides valuable informationregarding the optimal placement of the distribution piping formaximizing flow into the subsurface aquifer and the best placement ofthe moisture detectors to detect offsite flow, invasive flow, or upwardflow into a crop root-zone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically depicts an embodiment of a system which may beutilized or constructed according to the disclosed method.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an outlet of an embodiment of a pipingsystem for discharging water into a porous and permeable layer which maybe utilized or constructed according to the disclosed method.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a segment of an embodiment of apiping system which may be utilized or constructed according to thedisclosed method.

FIG. 4 schematically depicts an apparatus drilling a segment of aborehole which may be utilized for disposition of piping segments usedto transfer water to a subsurface aquifer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 schematically depicts an embodimentof a water system 100 which is located beneath a land parcel 1000. Landparcel 1000 may have a developed surface use which may includeagricultural, recreational, residential, commercial purposes or otheruses where the land surface has crops, trees, improvements or fixtureswhich preclude, inhibit or discourage installation activities for asubsurface piping network. Land parcel 1000 may also be dormant orcomprise terrain and/or topography is not easily accessed forinstallation of the subsurface piping network. In either case,underground piping segments utilized for delivery of water to thesubsurface reservoir may be accomplished by utilization of a directionaldrilling unit 800 capable of drilling nearly horizontal boreholes, wherethe directional drilling unit is located offsite of land parcel 1000,such as being located on land adjacent to the land parcel 1000.Directional drilling unit 800 may be mobile and configured to move to avariety of locations for drilling the boreholes beneath land parcel1000.

The water system 100 may be connected to a water storage facility 102which is remote from land parcel 1000. Water storage facility 102 may bea surface containment structure, such as a tank, holding pond, catchbasin, etc. Alternatively, water supply 102 may be a flowing watersource including a pipe, culvert, or drainpipe operated either by theowner of the water system 100 or by a third-party such as a waterdistrict or a private landowner. Water supply 102 may also comprisestructures which capture water which would otherwise be lost to sewersand storm drains. For example, the water supply 102 may capture runofffrom roofs and roads through gutters and French drains. As anotheralternative, water supply 102 may be a water system which is configuredthe same as water system 100. It is to be appreciated that embodimentsof the water system 100 may utilize a variety of different forms ofwater supply 102, but in each case water supply 102 is remotely locatedfrom land parcel 1000. These forms of remotely located surface waterstorage facilities may include surface reservoirs

The water system 100 comprises a subsurface aquifer 200, such as thatschematically shown in FIG. 2. Aquifer 200 is disposed below land parcel1000. Aquifer 200 may comprise multiple layers which may include a firstporous and permeable layer 202 (“first layer”) which has a general depth(or elevation) of D₁. First layer 202 will have generalized propertiesof porosity and permeability which will impact the water storagecapacity of the first layer as well as the ability of water to flowthrough the layer vertically and laterally, potentially flowing into therootzone 206. Aquifer 200 may also have a second porous and permeablelayer 204 (“second layer”) which has a general depth of D₂. The seconddepth may be deeper than the first depth, but the first depth could bedeeper, or the depths of the two layers could be approximately the samein case of laterally adjacent layers.

As part of the pre-installation investigation, or as part of aninvestigation conducted to monitor or expand embodiments of the watersystem 100, geophysical data may be collected and analyzed to ascertainthe geologic properties of the aquifer 200 and adjacent strata toascertain, among other factors, structural configuration, zonethickness, permeability, porosity, lithology, chemical properties of thestrata and any in situ fluids, fluid invasion from adjacent parcels,etc. These investigations may be conducted utilizing data obtained fromgeophysical logs of water wells and hydrocarbon wells in the vicinity ofthe aquifer and/or well cutting obtained in the drilling of such wells.In addition, boreholes or potholes may be drilled prior to installationof the system for the express purpose of obtaining soil and/or fluidsamples, or for determining the geologic structure of the aquifer andadjacent strata. The pre-installation investigation may further includefield studies and mapping. Among other uses, this information may beutilized to ascertain the best positions and depths for the pipingsegments and moisture detectors utilized in embodiments of the system.

The generalized properties of porosity and permeability of second porousand permeable layer 204 may be approximately the same as those for firstlayer 202, or the generalized properties may be different, which means adifference between the water storage capacity of the of the second layer204 and the first layer 202, and the ability of water to flow throughthe layers. These differences mean that the second layer 204 may haveless or more capacity to store water than the first layer 202. Asdiscussed below, these differences in water storage capacity demonstratethe desirability of separately ascertaining the moisture content of eachlayer.

Water system 100 includes a piping system 300 comprising an array ofconduit members, such as piping segments 310 shown in FIG. 3, where eachconduit member has an outlet into the subsurface aquifer 200. Pipingsystem 300 conveys water from the water supply 102 and distributes thewater to various points within the aquifer 200, placing the water supply102 in hydraulic communication with the aquifer 200. Piping system 300may have one or more inlets 302 which receive water flow from watersupply 102. Inlet 302 may be located on land parcel 1000 or locatedoffsite adjacent to water supply 102 or adjacent to locations utilizedfor placement of directional drilling unit 800 and the borehole inlets802.

Inlet 302 will be set at an elevation Do which may, but not necessarily,be the approximate ground elevation. Elevation Do may be at a higherelevation relative to the depths of the first layer 202 and second layer204 to allow gravitational flow into the aquifer 200. Piping system 300may deliver water to an outlet 304 disposed within first layer 202.Likewise, piping system 300 may deliver water to an outlet 306 disposedwithin second layer 204. Outlets 304 and 306 may directly release waterinto the first layer 202 and the second layer 206, or outlets 304 and306 may be directly connected to piping segments 310 which transmitwater laterally through the aquifer. Although only two layers 202, 204are shown in FIG. 2, it is to be appreciated that embodiments of thewater system 100 have comprise an aquifer 200 having many more layersand may have one or more outlets or piping segments disposed within eachlayer.

Water system 100 may further comprise a system for preventing waterinvasion into the near surface soil layers such as rootzone 206. Suchsystem may comprise a moisture detector 400, a digital processor 500 andflow control valves 314. Moisture detector may have multiple sensors 402in a single housing 404. Sensors 402 may be disposed at different depthssuch that moisture content for a specific layer 202, 204, the rootzone206 or at different depths within an individual layer may be detectedand monitored. Each sensor 402 within moisture detector 400 may generatean output signal associated with a moisture observed at a particulartime and depth. The moisture detector 400 may transmit the output signalto a digital processor 500 located at the surface.

Moisture detector 400 may be of the type which detects the presence ofmoisture and provides a notification of the same. Alternatively,moisture detector 400 may be of the type, such as a neutron probedevice, which provides quantitative information regarding the amount ofthe moisture. Moisture detector 400 may be of the capacitive type whichuses metallic rings as the plates of a capacitive element. The multiplesensors 402 of moisture detector are located at various depths for aspecific layer and provide a profile of the soil moisture of the layer.Such moisture detectors are described, among other references, in U.S.Pat. No. 7,042,234 to Buss and U.S. Pat. No. 9,146,206 to Rhodes et al.and available through several sources including SENTEK. Embodiments ofthe invention may also utilize neutron probe type devices for measuringmoisture, or hybrid devices which employ the technology of bothcapacitive and neutron probe devices.

As indicated in the figures, a section of land overlying an aquifer 200may have a piping system 300 which provides a conduit for transmissionof water from a remote (i.e., located off of land parcel 1000) watersupply 102 to a variety of outlets disposed within the aquifer. Pipingsystem 300 may be set entirely below the ground surface, therebyallowing the ground surface of land parcel 1000 to be utilized for otherpurposes. As indicated above, piping system 300 may have a plurality ofgenerally horizontal segments 310 which deliver water to the arealextent of the aquifer 200. The piping segments may be installed inhorizontal boreholes which are drilled by a direction drilling unit 800which is not located on land parcel 1000, but at a location which isconducive for the drilling operation and installation of the pipingsegment. Piping system 300 may also have a plurality of generallyvertical segments 312 which deliver water to specific depths of theaquifer or to outlets which are connected to the horizontal segments310. Horizontal segments 310 and vertical segments 312 may form anintersecting matrix capable of delivering water to the lateral and depthlimits of the aquifer 200.

Horizontal segments 310 and vertical segments 312 may comprise segmentsof perforated pipe which are set within gravel in either trenches orholes. Alternatively, the horizontal segments 310 and vertical segments312 may have a plurality of discrete outlets for release of water atspecific lateral locations and or depths within the aquifer 200.

As suggested by FIG. 1, an embodiment of the presently disclosed watersystem 100 may provide automated management of a water storage aquifer200. Water from water supply 102 is provided either by pump (not shown)or by gravitation into piping system 300. Piping system 300 has one ormore flow control valves 314 which are instructed by digital processor500 to open, close, decrease flow or increase flow with the instructionsprovided by a control signal provided through either hard-wireconnection 502 or by wireless transmission. Upon the opening of one ormore control valves 314, water flows from water supply 102 into pipingsystem 300. Flow control valves 314 may be set below the ground surfaceat land parcel 1000 to allow complete use of the land surface of landparcel 1000 or control valves 314 may be located offsite of land parcel1000.

A water flow meter 316 may provide observed water flow rates to digitalprocessor 500, which may have a volume totalizing algorithm whichmonitors total water volume delivered to aquifer 200 over a given timeperiod. Piping system may further have a flush valve 318 to expeditedraining or cleaning the piping system. Piping system 300 may beconnected to overflow reservoir 700 which allows water to be directedelsewhere if desired, such as if aquifer 200 has reached capacity.Overflow reservoir 700 may either be a surface containment, a rechargebasin, or a separate downhole storage reservoir.

As indicated by FIG. 1, a plurality of flow control valves 314 may beutilized to control water flow into various segments or layers of theaquifer. It is to be appreciated that while FIG. 1 appears as a planview of a piping system, the piping segments connected to the flowcontrol valves 314 may be horizontal segments 310 and/or verticalsegments 312. The outlets 304 of a vertical segment 312 may be discrete,as opposed to a slotted pipe segment, such that separate layers of avertical section of the aquifer 200 may be independently recharged withwater. The moisture content of a specific layer may be observed withmoisture detector 400 and reported back to digital processor 500 by wireconnection 504 or wireless transmission. Upon receipt of this data adetermination made by the digital processor whether additional water maybe introduced into that specific layer or, conversely, water flow shouldbe suspended and/or water withdrawn from that layer.

Using FIG. 2 by way of example for the system for preventing waterinvasion into rootzone 206, moisture sensors 402 may report to digitalprocessor 500 that the lower portion of first layer 202 is full is nottaking additional water and the moisture level near the surface isincreasing. If the surface is used for agricultural purposes or otheruses which are sensitive to water invasion of the near surface soil, themoisture content may be monitored near the rootzone to preventundesirably high moisture levels near the rootzone or ground surface.Upon receipt of this data, the digital processor 500 may instruct afirst flow control valve 314 to stop or reduce water flow to first layer202. The digital processor 500 may likewise instruct a second flowcontrol valve 314 to increase water flow to second layer 204. Thedigital processor 500 may also start an electric submersible pump 602set within a subsurface water well 600 to pump down the water in theaquifer 200. The digital processor 500 may further instruct controlvalve 320 to open to allow flow into overflow reservoir 700.

The above-described system may be utilized for water storage management,where data is provided to a digital processor 500 of the storagecapacity and moisture content of an aquifer 200. Upon receipt of thisdata, through the utilization of the piping system 300, flow controlvalves 314, moisture detectors 400 and other devices, the digitalprocessor 500 may be utilized to direct the flow of water into discreteportions of the aquifer and/or to withdraw water from portions of theaquifer which have no available storage capacity. The water storagemanagement may include the recharging of groundwater for third partiesin exchange for groundwater recharge credits.

FIG. 4 depicts a mobile directional drilling unit 800 which has drilleda directional borehole 804 having borehole inlet 802 and borehole outlet806. In one embodiment of the method of the invention a string ofhorizontal piping segments 310 may be installed by the directionaldrilling unit 800 into borehole 804 which is adjacent or penetratinginto the subsurface aquifer 200. Installation of the string ofhorizontal piping segments 310 may be facilitated by pulling the stringat borehole outlet 806.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what isclaimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includesthe following:

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of storing water in an aquifer locatedbeneath a parcel of land having a ground surface utilized for growingcrops wherein a rootzone depth is defined as a soil depth to which aplurality of roots of the crops penetrates below the ground surface,wherein at least a portion of the water is maintained for availabilityfor subsequent withdrawal from the aquifer, the method comprising thefollowing steps: collecting data comprising a depth to the aquifer, ageneral lateral orientation of the aquifer, an approximate lateralextent of the aquifer, and an approximate water storage capacity of theaquifer; drilling a borehole below a ground surface of the parcel ofland; directionally controlling the orientation of the borehole withrespect to the depth and general lateral orientation of the aquifer;installing a piping member into the borehole, wherein the piping memberis configured to release water into the aquifer; installing a moisturedetector at the rootzone depth; receiving a flow of water; and directingat least a portion of the flow of water into the piping member forrelease into the aquifer.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the boreholecomprises an inlet, wherein the inlet is not located on the parcel ofland.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the borehole comprises an outlet.4. The method of claim 1 wherein the borehole has an approximatehorizontal orientation.
 5. The method of claim 1 comprising the furtherstep of measuring the at least a portion of the flow of water directedinto the piping member.
 6. The method of claim 5 comprising the furtherstep of calculating a groundwater recharge credit from a total volume ofwater directed into the piping member.
 7. The method of claim 1 whereinthe borehole is drilled with a directional drilling rig not located onthe parcel of land.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the parcel of landhas a surface use selected from the group consisting of agricultural,commercial, residential, and recreational.
 9. The method of claim 1wherein the moisture detector provides an output signal to aprogrammable controller if a threshold level of moisture is detected inthe rootzone.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said programmablecontroller instructs a valve apparatus to stop the flow of water intothe piping member upon a detection of the threshold level of moisture inthe rootzone.
 11. A method of storing water in an aquifer locatedbeneath a land parcel utilized for growing crops, the aquifer having anorientation, wherein a rootzone depth is defined as a soil depth towhich a plurality of roots of the crops penetrates below a groundsurface, the method comprising the following steps: drilling a boreholebelow the ground surface of the land parcel; directionally controllingan orientation of the borehole with respect to the orientation of theaquifer; installing a piping member into the borehole, wherein thepiping member is configured to release water into the aquifer; receivinga volume of water; flowing at least a portion of the volume of waterinto the piping member for release into the aquifer; and installing amoisture detector in the rootzone to detect any flow of the volume ofwater into the rootzone.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the moisturedetector provides an output signal to a programmable controller if athreshold level of moisture is detected in the rootzone.
 13. The methodof claim 12 wherein said programmable controller instructs a valveapparatus to stop the flow of water into the piping member upon adetection of the threshold level of moisture in the rootzone.
 14. Asystem of storing water in an aquifer located beneath a land parcelutilized for growing crops, wherein a rootzone depth is defined as asoil depth to which a plurality of roots of the crops penetrates below aground surface, the system comprising: a directionally drilled boreholedisposed beneath the ground surface, a piping member disposed within theborehole, the piping member configured to receive a flow of water from asource and release at least a portion of the flow of water into theaquifer; a moisture detector disposed at the rootzone depth, themoisture detector configured to detect any flow of water into therootzone depth from the water released into the aquifer and, upon adetection of any flow of water into the rootzone depth, to generate anoutput signal, said moisture detector further configured to transmit theoutput signal to a programmable controller; and a valve apparatuscontrolled by the programmable controller, valve apparatus configured tostart or stop the flow of water into the piping member upon receipt ofan instruction from the programmable controller.
 15. The system of claim14 wherein the borehole has an orientation approximately the same as anorientation of the aquifer.
 16. The system of claim 14 wherein theborehole comprises an inlet, wherein the inlet is not located on theparcel of land.
 17. The system of claim 14 wherein the borehole has anapproximate horizontal orientation.
 18. The systems of claim 14 whereinthe borehole has an outlet.
 19. The system of claim 14 comprising anapparatus for measuring the flow of water received by the piping member.